Hit a parked car in the UK: what the law requires
If you hit or damage a parked car, you are legally required to stop, leave your details, and report the incident to police within 24 hours if the owner is not present. Driving away without doing so is a fail to stop offence carrying up to 10 penalty points - more than a single drink driving conviction.
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What must you do if you hit a parked car?
Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, if you are involved in an accident that causes damage to another vehicle - including a parked car with no one in it - you must stop at the scene. If the owner or driver is present, you must give them your name, address and the vehicle's registration number. If the car is registered to someone else, you must provide their details too.
This applies however minor the damage appears. A scratched bumper, a dented door, a cracked wing mirror - all require the same response. The severity of the damage does not reduce the obligation to stop and identify yourself.
What if the owner is not there?
If the owner is not present and you cannot reasonably wait, you must leave your details somewhere visible - a note under the windscreen wiper is the standard approach. Your note should include your name, address, phone number and the registration of the car you were driving. If it is not your car, include the registered keeper's details too.
Leaving a note does not complete your obligations. You must also report the incident to a police station within 24 hours. This is not optional - it is a separate legal requirement under the same section of the Road Traffic Act. If you report within the time limit, you have met the requirement even if the note blows away.
What information to leave
The law requires your name, address and registration number at minimum. A phone number is essential in practice - it is the most likely way the other driver will contact you. Keep the note factual and do not admit fault or speculate about the extent of the damage.
Before leaving, photograph the note in place on their windscreen and photograph the damage to both cars. This protects you in two ways: it demonstrates you left details, and it documents the state of the damage at the time of the incident, which matters if the other driver makes an exaggerated claim later.
What counts as a hit and run?
A hit and run occurs when a driver causes damage to another vehicle and leaves without stopping, leaving details or reporting to police within 24 hours. It does not require injury - property damage alone triggers the obligation.
Leaving an incomplete note - your phone number but no name or address - does not satisfy the requirement. Leaving a note but not reporting to police does not satisfy it either. And returning to the scene later does not fulfil the obligation to "stop at the scene" - the law requires you to stop at the time of the incident, not afterwards.
What are the penalties?
The maximum penalty for failing to stop and report is 10 penalty points, an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison. A driving ban is also possible. The 10-point maximum is higher than a single drink driving conviction, which carries a mandatory 12-month ban but typically fewer than 10 points.
For drivers within two years of passing their test, six or more points trigger automatic licence revocation under the New Drivers Act. Three points for leaving the scene of a car park bump is a significant sanction. Our guide to how penalty points affect your car insurance explains the premium impact.
CCTV, dashcam footage and being traced
Modern car parks, residential streets and high streets are covered by cameras. Witnesses also photograph and film incidents on phones. If you leave without leaving details, there is a reasonable chance the incident was recorded.
If police receive a report and trace your registration, they may visit your address. Not having reported the incident yourself makes your position significantly worse at that point. Even if you are confident nobody saw you, reporting to police within 24 hours is the correct response. If your own dashcam captured the incident, it can be examined and used as evidence against you if you failed to report.
If it happens in a borrowed car
The legal obligations are the same whether the car is yours or not. But there is an important insurance distinction: a claim through temporary car insurance is entirely separate from the car owner's annual policy - their no claims discount is not affected by any incident during the short-term policy period. That is one of the main practical advantages of short-term cover over being added as a named driver. Our guide to what happens if someone crashes your car covers the full liability picture.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to leave a note if I scratch a parked car?
Yes. Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, you must stop and leave your details whenever you damage another vehicle. If the owner is not present, leave your name, address and registration number visibly on the car, and report the incident to police within 24 hours. Failure to do either is a criminal offence.
What happens if I drive off after hitting a parked car?
It is a fail to stop offence under the Road Traffic Act, carrying up to 10 penalty points, an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison and a possible driving ban. Police regularly trace drivers from CCTV, dashcam footage and witness accounts. Reporting to police within 24 hours is significantly better than being traced after the fact.
What details must I leave on a parked car?
Your name, address and the registration number of the vehicle you were driving. If it is not your car, include the registered keeper's name and address too. A phone number is essential in practice. Photograph the note in place before leaving, alongside photographs of any damage to both vehicles.
How long do I have to report hitting a parked car?
You must report the incident to a police station within 24 hours if you were unable to exchange details at the scene. This is a separate requirement from leaving a note - both are required. The 24-hour clock starts at the time of the incident, not from when the other driver contacts you or notices the damage.
Will hitting a parked car affect my insurance?
If you make a claim, yes - it will typically reduce your no claims discount unless it is protected. If you are driving someone else's car on a temporary policy, the claim stays within that short-term policy and does not affect the car owner's annual policy or their no claims discount at all.
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